carraway



Jan. 7,1936. M. L. CARRAWAY 2,027,089

SWING Filed Jan. 25, 1935 Q Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,02v,0s9 .SWING I j Marshall L. Carraway, Malvern, Ark.

Application January 25,1935, Serial No. 3,519

1 Claim.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a swingyadapted, to be used indoors, primarily, in'bad weather, to giveexercise to children, although the swing may be used outdoors as well. The invention aims to provide a device of the class described which may be manufactured at small cost, be ornamented by painting or any other simple method, and be readily portable. The invention aims, further, to supply a device of the'class described which will operate with little friction, it being possible to impart swinging movement to the hanger, by means of a light pull. The device comprises a frame, a hanger carried by the frame, means on the frame for accommodating an occupant, and means for impartingswinging movement to the hanger.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an elevation wherein the device is viewed at right angles to the showing of Fig. 1.

The device forming the subject matter of this application preferably is made, for the most part, out of wood. It comprises a frame, which, as a whole, is marked by the letter F. The frame F comprises legs I. As shown in Fig. 1, the legs I diverge from front to back, and as shown in Fig. 2, they diverge from side to side. The upper ends of the legs I are beveled as shown at 2, to rest against opposite sides of a top bar 3. The lower edge of the top bar 3 slants upwardly from the ends of the top bar to the intermediate portion thereof. Securing elements 5, of any desired kind, for instance bolts, connect the upper ends of the legs I to the top bar 3. About midway between their upper and lower ends, the legs I are connected at the sides of the frame F by rigid ties 6, held on the legs I by securing devices I. A rigid, forwardly extended, horizontal arm 8 has its rear end resting on the upper edge of the topbar 3. The rear end of the arm 8 is held on the intermediate portion of the top bar 3 by a bolt 9. The bclt'9 has an eye III at its lower end, and the eye I0 engages the lower edge of the top bar '3. A nut I I is threaded on the upper end of the bolt 9. A washer I2 is interposed between the nut I I and the arm 8. Noting that the lower edge 4 of the top bar 3 slants upwardly from the ends of the top bar to the middle portion thereof, the topbar is narrowest in its middle portion. The bolt 9, consequently, may be made shorter than would be the case otherwise, and the bolt is increased in strength accordingly. The bolt 9 serves two purposes. It holds the arm 8 on the top bar 3 and also forms part of the suspension means for the hanger H.

The hanger H is of inverted U-shape. The hanger H includes atop piece I4 located below the top bar 3 and disposed at right angles to the top bar. Rigid, vertical front strips I5 and rigid 20 vertical rear strips I6 are provided. The front strips l5 are longerthan the rear strips I6. The forward end of the top piece I4 is disposed between the upper ends of the front strips I5, and the rear end of the top piece I4 is disposed 25 between the upper ends of the rear strips I6. The upper ends of the front strips I5 and the upper ends of the rear strips I6 are secured rigidly to the ends of the top piece I4 by securing elements IT. A hook bolt I8 is mounted in the top 30' piece I4 of the hanger H, at a point midway between the ends of the top piece. The hook bolt I8 is held in the top piece I4 by a nut I9. A washer 20 is interposed between the nut I9 and the lower edge of the top piece I4. The hook 35 portion of the bolt I8 is arranged at right angles to the eye I0 of the bolt 9 and is pivotally and .detachably engaged with the eye Ill. The hanger H, therefore, is mounted on the frame F for backward and forward swinging movement in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1.

.The hanger H carries a means M for supporting an operator. That means may comprise a body 2|, shaped like a horse or any other animal, or constructed otherwise. A seat 22 is secured to the upper edge of the body 2I, intermediate the ends of the body. The body 2| is located between the front strips I5 of the hanger H and between the rear strips I6 of the hanger. The body 2| is connected to the strips l5 and 50 It by securing devices 23. The front strips I5 extend downwardly a little way below the body 2I. If the body 2| is made to simulate a horse, the head portion of the part ZI may carry a flexible element 24, representing a bridle. Those 55 portions of the front strips I5 which extend downwardly below the body 2| carry, securely mounted, a transverse peg 25, constituting a lower foot rest. The front strips I 5 carry, also, a similar upper foot rest 26, disposed above the lower foot rest 25. The reason for having two foot rests is to accommodate the device to children of differentstatures. The upper foot rest 25 passes through the body 2|, and aids in ho1d-, ing the body on the front strips I5. A transverse peg 21 is mounted in the front strips I 5, above the body 2| and. constitutes a hand grip for the person occupying the seat 22.

An operating member 28 is provided. The operating member 28 preferably is a rigid strip. The upper end of the operating member 28 is pivotally connected, by means of a link 29 and an eye bolt 30, with the forward end of the arm 8. The operating member 28 is downwardly and rearwardly inclined, and passes slidably between the front strips I5 ofthe hanger H. A transverse handle 3! is mounted in the lower end of the operating member 28. The handle 3! is located behind the front strips I5 of the hanger H and slides up and down on the rear edges of the front strips I5. The handle 3|, in view of the foregoing, is always kept in an accessible position for the person occupying the seat 22.

' The operation of the device is simple. The operator places his hands on the handle 3|, and by exerting a slight pull, the hanger H is caused to swing back and forward in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1. If the operator wishes, he can release the handle 3| and grip the handle 2! that is carried by the front strips I5 of the hanger H. Owing to the way in which the hanger H is suspended at I Il-I 8, and owing to the specific arrangement of the arm 8 and the operating member 28, the hanger H may be caused to swing back and forth with a very small ex penditure of effort on the part of the person cupying the seat 22. The foot rest 25, or the foot rest 26, of course enables the operator to brace himself, whilst using the device.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 10 A swing comprising a frame, a forwardly pre sented arm carried by the top of the frame, a hanger of inverted U-shape and comprising a pair of depending front strips and a depending rear strip, means secured to the rear strip and to the front strips for carrying an operator, means for suspending the hanger at its top from the top of the frame for swinging movement, an operating member pivoted at its upper end to the forward portion of the arm, the operating memher extending downwardly and backwardly between the front strips, the front strips being located close enough together to prevent the operating member from having any appreciable lateral swinging movement, and a-handle on the operating member and slidable up and down on the rear edges of the front strips when the hanger is in motion and when the operating member is not in use, the handle being kept in such a position that it is accessible to a person occupying the first specified means, because the front strips limit the lateral movement of the operating memher and because the handle is engaged with the rear edges of the front strips.

MARSHALL L. CARRAWAY. 

